Crankshaft

Monday, March 19, 2018Mar 19, 2018

Humor. Drama. Real-life stories. In his popular comic strip Crankshaft, cartoonist Tom Batiuk has created a cast of characters so real that fans are compelled to follow their adventures.

A former minor league baseball pitcher, the strip's namesake, Ed Crankshaft, was deeply disappointed when his major league aspirations fell by the wayside. Today, however, he can deal with life's curveballs, thanks to a loving family that stands by him. Crankshaft amuses comics fans with his no-holds-barred zingers and cantankerous disposition, an obvious outer crust for a school bus driver.

Since its debut in 1987, Crankshaft has engendered reader loyalty with its engaging storylines and Crankshaft's muddled aphorisms. Created by Batiuk and drawn by Chuck Ayers, the strip is a spin-off of Batiuk's immensely popular high school comic, Funky Winkerbean. Written in the same "narrative humor" vein as Funky, the strip offers plenty of humor, but it also tackles some tough issues like adult illiteracy, Alzheimer's disease and school violence.

Available daily and on Sundays, Crankshaft currently connects with readers in more than 300 newspapers worldwide. Given the strip's thoughtful approach in acknowledging the issues facing today's senior citizens, Crankshaft is particularly popular among older people and those who have parents at or beyond retirement age. Crankshaft really resonates with readers emotionally invested in the strong, identifiable characters and plot-driven storylines.

Dan Davis

Dan Davis is a two-time Eisner-nominated comic illustrator who has co-penciled the Garfield comic strip since 2012. He began his comics career as an inker primarily for DC Comics before moving into penciling and inking for DC and Bongo Comics (The Simpsons). He also illustrated the Harry Potter Coloring books for Warner Bros., and created full-color art for Scooby-Doo books at Scholastic.

In 2012 Dan was nominated for an Eisner award as part of the creative team for Batman: The Brave and the Bold series at DC Comics, following up a 2011 nomination for The Death of Comic Book Guy mini-series at Bongo Comics (The Simpsons).

He currently resides in Celina, Ohio, with his wife, Lisa.

Tom Batiuk

Tom Batiuk (rhymes with "attic") was born in Akron, Ohio, in 1947, and his first cartoons were published in his elementary-school newspaper in Elyria. He won a national scholastic art award in high school, and after graduating from Kent State University with a bachelor of fine arts degree and a certificate in education, Batiuk became a high school art teacher.

Batiuk's teaching experiences inspired him to create Funky Winkerbean in 1972. What began as a gag-a-day comic strip about high school life evolved as Batiuk himself matured. Through the years, he has stretched the creative boundaries of comic strip narrative humor, introducing real-life issues such as dyslexia, teen suicide, guns in the classroom, racial discrimination, teen-dating abuse, breast cancer, alcoholism and post-traumatic stress disorder in Funky Winkerbean. Batiuk has won accolades and awards from his peers as well as from educators and professional and civic organizations across the country for his outstanding treatment of serious social issues.

Batiuk has created other strips as well. In 1979, he launched into syndication John Darling, the adventures of a fictional talk-show host featuring celebrity caricatures. In 1987, he created his third comic strip, Crankshaft, based on the irascible school bus driver in Funky Winkerbean.

Ed Crankshaft

You never know which Ed Crankshaft you're going to get -- the irritable one, the angry one, the upset one, or the plain old garden-variety grumpy one. Regardless, they're all an act designed to cover up his soft, sweet side. Obviously, he's got an Oscar coming.

The Family

Ed's daughter, Pam Murdoch, and his son-in-law, Jeff Murdoch, are part of the Sandwich Generation, which means that they get stuck with all of the baloney.

Max and Mindy

Ed's generation has a lot in common with his grandkids, Max and Mindy. They both like to listen to the TV at 160 decibels and they never listen to a thing that Pam and Jeff say.

Rocky and Bill

The Neighbors

Lillian and Lucy McKenzie are two spinster sisters who have lived in the neighborhood for ages.

Morgan and Chase Lambert

Morgan and Chase Lambert are a young couple who have just moved into the neighborhood. Despite their age differences, they have one thing in common Ed Crankshaft drives them crazy.

The Mecklers

Ralph Meckler is Ed's best friend. Helen Meckler is Ralph's wife.

The Bus Garage Crew

Although on the surface their existence seems to be fun and games, the lives of the bus garage crew are fraught with peril, mainly from drinking Lena's coffee and trying to eat her brownies. They're a dedicated bunch who put in endless hours of practice, which is why their bowling team is in first place. Lena is the manager of the bus garage where Ed Crankshaft works. Andy is a bus driver and Crankshaft's co-worker.

Lois and Angel

Lois is Ed's girlfriend. Angel is a teenage, single mother and a Rough Rider.

The Roughriders

The Roughriders -- Marcus, Shane, Cobey and Severo -- from Teddy Roosevelt High School are the toughest, most difficult kids in the district, which is why they've been assigned to Ed's bus and why you have to feel sorry for them.